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Business Starts
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the growth in the number of business start-ups since the launch of the Public Service Agreement. [123533]
Mr. Alan Johnson: Since the Public Service Agreement was launched in December 1998 it is estimated that there have been 549,000 business start-ups in England and Wales.
Competitiveness Objectives
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list his (a) national and (b) regional competitiveness objectives. [123545]
Ms Hewitt: My Department's aim is to increase competitiveness and scientific excellence in order to generate higher levels of sustainable growth and productivity in a modern economy. To achieve that, we have set ourselves four over-arching national objectives: to promote enterprise, innovation and increased productivity; to make the most of the UK's science, engineering and technology; to create strong and competitive markets; and to develop a fair and effective legal and regulatory framework. Specific targets in pursuit of these objectives are set out in the DTI Public Service Agreement, which is in the Library of the House.
At regional level, our objective is to raise the economic performance of all regions, working with other Government Departments and Regional Development Agencies. My Department pursues its policies in ways which recognise regional differences. Regional competitiveness strategies have been developed by the Regional Development Agencies, and the Department works closely with them to ensure that its regional policies, including Regional Selective Assistance, the Assisted Areas map, EU Structural Funds and new initiatives such as the enterprise grant scheme contribute towards achieving the objectives set out in these strategies.
Secondments
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff from his Department were seconded to private sector companies in (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to April 2000; and if he will list in each case the companies to which staff were sent, the names and ranks of the staff involved and the duration of the secondment. [123457]
Dr. Howells: From the information that is held centrally within the Department, the details we have on outward secondments are as follows:
DTI Outward secondments from 1 May 1997-30 April 1998
25 outward secondments, made up of:
3 @ R6
1 @ R7
9 @ R8
1 @ R9
9 @ R10
1 @ Fast stream
1 @ Senior Civil Service.
24 May 2000 : Column: 523W
| Company name | Grade | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Cambs Tech | R8 | 10 months |
| Nat West | R7 | 4 months |
| Warwick Manufacturing Group | R10 | 8 months |
| London First Centre | R10 | 1 year 11 months |
| Business Link Sussex | R10 | 8 months |
| Mobil North Sea Ltd. | R10 | 6 months |
| SMMT Industry Forum | R10 | 3 years |
| BG Plc | R10 | 2 years 2 months |
| Nat West | R8 | 5 months |
| Mezzo Studios | R6 | 6 months |
| Sheffield Tec | R10 | 6 months |
| Independent Television Commission | R10 | 1 year 8 months |
| Northern Development Company | R8 | 5 months |
| British Footwear Association | R8 | 2 years 3 months |
| Chemical Industries Association | R10 | 2 years 2 months |
| MG Telecommunications | R6 | 4 months |
| Northern Development Company | R9 | 4 months |
| European Bank for Reconstruction and Development | R8 | 6 months |
| INWARD | R8 | 6 months |
| Sachetpack Ltd. | R8 | 3 months |
| British Standards Institute | R8 | 2 years |
| BP Exploration | FS | 4 months |
| Ernst and Young | R8 | 7 months |
| British Council Kuala Lumpur | R6 | 6 months |
| Lloyds TSB Group | SCS | 6 months |
DTI Outward secondments from 1 May 1998-30 April 1999
19 outward secondments, made up of:
1 @ R6
1 @ R7
5 @ R8
1 @ R9
6 @ R10
3 @ R11
1 @ Fast stream
1 @ Senior Civil Service.
| Company name | Grade | Length |
|---|---|---|
| British Standards Institute | R10 | 1 year 3 months |
| Financial Services Authority | R10 | 6 months |
| Committee for Middle East Trade | R8 | 6 months |
| Financial Services Authority | R10 | 5 months |
| Interregnum Venture Marketing | R11 | 1 year 1 month |
| Financial Reporting Council | SCS | 4 years 9 months |
| Action 2000 | R10 | 1 year 8 months |
| London Chamber of Commerce and Industry | R6 | 9 months |
| Nat West | FS | 4 months |
| National Physical Laboratory | R11 | 2 years |
| British Industries Printing Federation | R7 | 6 months |
| Action 2000 | R11 | 1 year 3 months |
| The Centre for Tomorrow's Company | R9 | 1 year 5 months |
| Asia House | R8 | 2 years |
| SITPRO | R10 | 3 years |
| Pritchitt Foods | R8 | 2 months |
| British Executive Service Overseas | R8 | 1 year |
| BG Plc | R10 | 1 year 3 months |
| Latin American Trade Advisory Group | R8 | 7 months |
DTI Outward secondments from 1 May 1999-30 April 2000
25 outward secondments, made up of:
3 @ R6
2 @ R7
7 @ R8
2 @ R9
5 @ R10
24 May 2000 : Column: 524W
4 @ R11
1 @ Fast stream
1 @ Senior Civil Service
| Company name | Grade | Length |
|---|---|---|
| BP Gas Marketing Ltd. | FS | 6 months |
| The ILB Partnership Ltd. | R6 | 6 months |
| Pritchitt Foods | R10 | 7 months |
| Times Newspaper | R10 | 1 year |
| Partnership Sourcing Ltd. | R10 | 1 year |
| London Chamber of Commerce and Industry | R6 | 1 year |
| ICL | R7 | 2 years |
| ICL | R7 | 2 years |
| The British Council | R8 | 2 years |
| Civil Service Sports Council | R8 | 3 years |
| University for Industry | R11 | 3 years |
| British Invisibles | R10 | 2 years |
| Manchester City Council | SCS | 5 years |
| Confederation of British Industry | R9 | 1 year |
| Eureka Secretariat | R9 | 2 years |
| British Standards Institute | R10 | 2 years |
| Gas Consumer Council | R11 | 7 months |
| British Standards Institute | R8 | 2 years |
| China Britain Business Council | R6 | 2 years |
| Gas Industry Safety Group | R11 | 1 year 3 months |
| G. F. Design | R8 | 1 year |
| University for Industry | R11 | 1 year 6 months |
| BP Amoco Plc | R8 | 8 months |
| Enterprising Britain Ltd. | R8 | 1 year 8 months |
| Gas Consumer Council | R8 | 7 months |
British Trade International and the
Invest in Britain Bureau
Mr. Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the relationship between British Trade International and the Invest in Britain Bureau. [124030]
Mr. Caborn: I am pleased to announce, also on behalf of the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle), that the Invest in Britain Bureau will move alongside Trade Partners UK (the new brand for the Government's trade services) under the British Trade International umbrella, with Sir David Wright as the single Group Chief Executive of British Trade International. The Board of British Trade International will remain under the chairmanship of DTI and FCO Ministers and its responsibilities will be enlarged to cover inward investment. This will lead to more coherent presentation--and, over time, management--of the Government's international trade and investment activities at home and overseas. It builds on an issue which was identified in the Cabinet Secretary's 1999 review of export promotion.
The Invest in Britain Bureau will retain a distinct identity within the enlarged organisation and will continue to have its own Chief Executive. We plan to review the IBB brand, building on work which has already been undertaken following the 1998 Competitiveness White Paper. The name of the umbrella organisation will also be reviewed in the light of these changes.
This announcement heralds important advantages for business. The new, combined organisation will focus on the single goal of developing business competitiveness in the UK, as it interfaces with the global marketplace. Working under one umbrella the two operations will
24 May 2000 : Column: 525W
focus on investment into the UK from overseas, on opportunities for business growth from investments abroad and on the broad spectrum of trade development and support at national, regional and local levels.
The new arrangements will strengthen and better co-ordinate the relationship between investment and trade activities in central Government, devolved Administrations and Regional Development Agencies, each of which will continue to be represented on the Board of British Trade International. The enlarged responsibilities of British Trade International will further strengthen the close relationship between trade and investment work in the network of commercial offices in overseas posts, focusing them on economic advantage for the UK, whether through new opportunities for international trade or for investment in this country by overseas firms or partnerships.
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